Why 85 House Republicans said “yes”
Their districts are conservative — but not so conservative that jumping off the fiscal cliff wouldn’t potentially backfire in the next election. A general-election challenge from the left is a bigger threat than a primary from the right. And being able to tell most of their constituents they shielded them from a big tax hike was more important than being accused by a vocal few of selling out Republican principles. …
Pennsylvania Rep. Mike Kelly, who occupies a seat in the western part of the state, said supporting the package — as unpalatable as it was for the Republican faithful — was far more palatable than veering off the cliff. …
There were other factors at play among the 85: Many have been in Congress long enough to know an era when deal making wasn’t taboo. They wanted to support their leader, Speaker John Boehner, when he needed it most. Among the supporters were six of the 13 Republicans in Boehner’s home-state delegation of Ohio.
Then there were the handful of defeated or retiring Republicans — liberated from the pressures of reelection and free to end their time in Congress knowing they’d done their part to head off a potential recession.
Blowback
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Supporting tax increases over spending cuts by 41 to 1 and raising taxes on 77% of the country is a reason conservatives won’t vote for these 85. Screw the moderates who will vote for you. You romneyidiots forget, IT’S CONSERVATIVES YOU NEED TO WORRY ABOUT.
You vote for a bill that increases the deficit and raises taxes. You moderate republicans disgust me!!!!
Danielvito on January 3, 2013 at 10:12 AM
Term limits.
justltl on January 3, 2013 at 10:14 AM
Because they either stampeded and panicked like a herd of terrified cattle, or were bought off?
Doomberg on January 3, 2013 at 10:14 AM
Is there a list of who voted yes for this tripe somewhere?
Defenestratus on January 3, 2013 at 10:15 AM
The real reason – they’re Bo(eh)ner’s Boyz, looking to move up in the pecking order after Cantor and McCarthy get purged.
Steve Eggleston on January 3, 2013 at 10:16 AM
Because they are Republican not Conservatives.
Oil Can on January 3, 2013 at 10:17 AM
How about the RINOs start their own party and then we can have a 3-party system. May the best ideology win.
Clink on January 3, 2013 at 10:18 AM
To avoid being blamed for sequestration cuts?
Jeffster on January 3, 2013 at 10:20 AM
Doesnt make sense in this context.
Valkyriepundit on January 3, 2013 at 10:21 AM
FIFY
Norwegian on January 3, 2013 at 10:29 AM
Term limits NEVER make sense. Imagine if these folks had TWO FULL YEARS to do their damage? You’d have what..at least a hundred folks every Congress without accountability or fear of voters? Awful idea.
NoStoppingUs on January 3, 2013 at 10:32 AM
To get to the other side.
No different than chickens!
Shy Guy on January 3, 2013 at 10:33 AM
Because they had to.
tommy71 on January 3, 2013 at 10:34 AM
It is the Democrats who believe deal-making is taboo, which is why we got that sham of an “agreement”. C’mon, a 40-1 ratio between tax hikes and spending cuts, to just kick the can down the road once more?
changer1701 on January 3, 2013 at 10:38 AM
Because in the end they were worried about their political futures more than burying their own grandchildren under a mountain of debt.
Bishop on January 3, 2013 at 10:42 AM
The problem is more lack of long term thinking; letting themselves get into this situation to begin with. They talk the Lefty’s talk, calling hikes cuts (whether it’s taxes or spending), and getting roped into playing the Dem’s game. Once the House passes a budget, they need to go on and on and on about their budget, and make the Senate vote on it, and then send it to committee. Not last minute either. Every Republican that ever goes on tv for any reason, needs to emphasize that they’ve passed a budget, and the Senate is threatening to shut down the government.
Now, in this case, they need to pass massive spending cuts along with the debt ceiling hike. Do it THIS WEEK. IMMEDIATELY. Then when Obama whines about the intransigent opposition, and not wanting to negotiate, just say: fine. No need to negotiate if you don’t want to, just pass the bill. If you don’t want to amend it in the Senate and send it back to the House for negotiation, that’s just fine with us.
Fenris on January 3, 2013 at 10:43 AM
I’m cracking up at the people here at my work who are realizing their checks are lower because of the payroll tax deduction ending.
They were all under the impression no taxes were going up cause Obama said so.
It’s making me giggle.
gophergirl on January 3, 2013 at 10:44 AM
I figured that with term limits they would run for the right reasons and do the right thing when they were in office.
Sorry, must have had an attack of naivety or faith in mankind there.
Won’t happen again.
justltl on January 3, 2013 at 10:46 AM
Everyone that for the BS bill is a traitor to the USA! I wish that our history would show the names of all of the people that were responsible for the destruction of the USA.
If any of the stupid domestic terrorist that voted for this bill that will screw the people get re-elected then the POS that vote for them should be deported to North Korea of Cuba!
harvey1 on January 3, 2013 at 10:49 AM
So those r’s wanted to get re-elected worse than actually doing something FOR our nation? Goes to show you, when the dc bunch puts their hands on the Bible to uphold the constitution when sworn in, they have their other hand behind their back with fingers crossed!
L
letget on January 3, 2013 at 10:54 AM
Occam’s Razor again distills the truth … well done!
ShainS on January 3, 2013 at 11:09 AM
Don’t the yoyos who “negotiate” these deals with the Dems pay attention to the expiration dates? They are deliberately calculated to coincide with political/election ambitions.
Why else does Reid refuse to present a Senate budget? Why else are the Bush-rate extensions limited to pre-election times?
onlineanalyst on January 3, 2013 at 11:11 AM
Avoid a recession? uh huh. Ok. Go with that.
tyketto on January 3, 2013 at 11:13 AM
Rodney Alexander-LA 5
Lou Barletta-PA 11
Charles Bass-NH 2*
Dan Benishek-MI 1
Judy Biggert-IL 13*
Brian Bilbray-CA 50*
John Boehner-OH 8
Mary Bono Mack-CA 45*
Kevin Brady-TX 8
Vern Buchanan-FL 16
Ken Calvert-TX 42
Dave Camp-MI 4
Howard Coble-NC 6
Tom Cole-OK 4
Ander Crenshaw-FL 4
Jeff Denham-CA 10
Charlie Dent-PA 15
Mario Diaz-Balart-FL 25
Bob Dold-IL 10*
David Dreier-CA 26*
Jo Ann Emerson-MO 8*
Mike Fitzpatrick-PA 8
Jeff Fortenberry-NE 1
Rodney Frelinghuysen-NJ 11
Elton Gallegly-CA 24*
Jim Gerlach-PA 6
Chris Gibson-NY 19
Michael Grimm-NY 11
Richard Hanna-NY 22
Doc Hastings-WA 4
Nan Hayworth-NY 19*
Joe Heck-NV 3
Wally Herger-CA 2*
Jaime Herrera Beutler-WA 3
Tim Johnson-IL 15*
Bill Johnson-OH 6
Mike Kelly-PA 3
Peter King-NY 3
Adam Kinzinger-IL 16
John Kline-MN 2
Leonard Lance-NJ 7
Steve LaTourette-OH 14*
Bob Latta-OH 5
Frank LoBiondo-NJ 2
Frank Lucas-OK 3
Blaine Luetkemeyer-MO 9
Dan Lungren-CA 3*
Don Manzullo-IL 16*
Tom Marino-PA 10
Buck McKeon-CA 25
Cathy McMorris Rodgers-WA 5
Pat Meehan-PA 7
Candice Miller-MI 10
Gary Miller-CA 31
Tim Murphy-PA 18
Kristi Noem-SD
Joe Pitts-PA 16
Todd Platts-PA 19*
Tom Reed-NY 23
Dave Reichert-WA 8
Reid Ribble-WI 8
Hal Rogers-KY 5
Mike Rogers-MI 8
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen-FL 27
Ed Royce-CA 39
Jon Runyan-NJ 3
Paul Ryan-WI 1
Aaron Schock-IL 18
Pete Sessions-TX 32
John Shimkus-IL 15
Bill Shuster-PA 9
Mike Simpson-ID 2
Chris Smith-NJ 4
Lamar Smith-TX 21
Steve Stivers-OH 15
John Sullivan-OK 1*
Glenn Thompson-PA 5
Mac Thornberry-TX 13
Pat Tiberi-OH 12
Bob Turner-NY 9*
Fred Upton-MI 6
Greg Walden-OR 2
Steve Womack-AR 3
Don Young-AK
Bill Young-FL 13
*-not returning to congress
topdawg on January 3, 2013 at 11:13 AM
Found one here:
List of 85 Republicans who voted “Yes” on the Senate’s Fiscal Cliff bill
ShainS on January 3, 2013 at 11:13 AM
More importantly, we’ve hit a point where a deal is impossible. We either will cut spending and avoid national bankruptcy, or we will go bankrupt. There is no “compromise” decision except to try to delay the day of reckoning further. The real divide at this point is between people who want to try to keep the game going a little longer and people who want to try to answer “the big question.”
Doomberg on January 3, 2013 at 11:21 AM
I am not happy about the lack of spending cuts in the bill. But I *am* happy that the payroll tax went back to normal levels. Social Security & Medicare are hugely underfunded as it is. Cutting those taxes was irresponsible, especially since people “earn” Social Security is by paying into the system.
Outlander on January 3, 2013 at 11:27 AM
They should have voted for the previous bad bill.
GardenGnome on January 3, 2013 at 11:38 AM
Of course. Voters don’t like being told “no, you can’t have any more government cheese.” When Europe adopted austerity budgets, several governments fell and there were riots in the streets. Thus the dominant strategy for politicians, who only care about the next election, is to kick the can down the road and make it someone else’s problem.
The day of reckoning that is coming terrifies me. How much will that 47% care about other’s property rights in the face of hyperinflation and depression? Will we start to see 75% tax rates as in France? Or land confiscations and nationalization of private industry, as occurs in Latin America?
I really feel like our country’s best days were behind it. Never felt that way before.
Outlander on January 3, 2013 at 11:52 AM
My Congressman voted for this drivel. Next time I see Crenshaw Im going to slap him.
Valkyriepundit on January 3, 2013 at 11:54 AM
I would say because they are big government hacks.
astonerii on January 3, 2013 at 12:19 PM
All of the above.
BTW the HotAir bitmap is still covering the submit button on headline threads. The HotAir bit map also covers the login link on headline threads.
dogsoldier on January 3, 2013 at 12:58 PM
There are reports many feel the same way. I do too, FWIW.
dogsoldier on January 3, 2013 at 12:59 PM